Chapter XII

Working the Rules of Etiquette: Good Manners Equals Good Business

If you have a great product, a commitment to service, and treat your customers and employees with common courtesy, the market share will take care of itself.

-- Tom Peters

Guidelines in behaving well:

1. Know the rules. 2. Observe the rules. 3. Do so graciously.

Manners and Etiquette

-- Etiquette: the usages and rules for behavior in polite society, official or professional life -- Manners: combination of courtesy, caring and common sense -- People with good manners dont embarrass others and treat them with respect. -- Knowing the rules is one thing; caring about people and treating them with consideration is something else. -- To be courteous is to be polite while having a warmer regard for the feelings and dignity of others, and is the cornerstone of good manners. -- If people are comfortable with us, our presence at any event would be valued.

Manners and Etiquette

-- How we behave in every room we enter contributes to our reputation. -- Manners matter and say volumes about our character. -- John Rosemond: Manners and character are inseparable. -- Letitia Baldridge: Manners are 99 percent common sense and 1 percent kindness.

The R.S.V.P.
-- stands for Rpondez sil vous plait. (Respond if you please/ if it pleases you.) -- A social invitation requires a response. RSVPs for business events, meetings and association lunches: -- Preregister or prepay or call in a reservation. -- You are expected to attend if you reserve. -- Its not good manners or good business to be a drop-in. -- Let them know as soon as possible if youre coming to attend. --To RSVP shows good manners, good business, consideration, breeding and respect.

Introductions
--Introducing people is one of the most important acts in business life. -- If there is a reception line, head directly for it and introduce yourself to the host. -- Give some information about yourself that the host can use to introduce you to others. -- If you spot people with host badges, introduce yourself to them.
--Letitia Baldridge, The Complete Guide to Executive Manners: The most important thing to remember about introducing people is to do it, even if you forget names, get confused or blank out on the proper procedure.

Introductions
Letitia Baldridges Guidelines for Introductions: 1. Introduce a younger person to an older person. 2. Introduce a peer in your own company to a peer in another company. 3. Introduce a nonofficial to an official person. 4. Introduce a junior executive to a senior executive. 5. Introduce a fellow executive to a customer or client. -- Always introduce the less important person to the more important person.

Introductions
-- When introducing people of equal standing, you don not have to use a title unless you are introducing an older person, a professional or someone with official rank. -- When introducing a public official, use his/her title even if he/she no longer holds the position. -- Ask if you do not know the correct title to use. -- The most important thing is people know that you want them to meet one another. -- Enthusiasm, regard and respect. -- Never shorten someones formal name unless you are invited to do so.

Names
-- Its not easy to remember everyone, especially if you meet a lot of people. -- In case you forgot someones name, the best solution is to tell the truth, preferably with humor. -- In case your name was forgotten, state your name clearly, immediately and with energy. Give the other person an idea of who you are or how you may have met. -- Dr. Joan Minninger, Total Recall: Decide to remember. *Say your name and repeat the other persons name while shaking hands. *Look for an unusual characteristic and focus on it.

What to Call People?

1.Use the formal title. --People who want you to call them by their first names will invite you to do so. Otherwise stick with the title.
2. Ask.

Thank-You Notes
-- Writing thank you notes is an extremely gracious gesture, one that is appreciated and memorable, and makes a lasting positive expression. -- Choice of e-mail or handwritten notes, but the latter is preferred: takes too much time, but reflects personal care, thought and effort expended. -- An e-mail could be sent as a quick acknowledgement, followed by the handwritten note/card. -- E-mail, on the other hand, enhances communication and encourages conversations.

Miscellanous Manners
1. Bring something to the banquet: energy, enthusiasm, conversation, information and humor. -- Approach people with a smile, a handshake an an upbeat greeting. -- Look them in the eye. -- Invite people in your conversations once they get started. 2. Do not smoke, as much as possible. 3. Never judge people by their external appearance.
Its important to be in-the-know when it comes to the changing patterns of etiquette, but its more important to be a man of manners. Be nice, be thoughtful and considerate of others.